The present invention relates to an apparatus which can be associated with a vehicle particularly for cutting sods and removing plants.
In the farming and plant-nursery field, in garden-keeping and in the field of the cultivation of ornamental plants or productive crops, it is conventionally necessary to cut the sod and remove the plants without compromising their root system and ultimately their life.
Vehicles have been conceived for this purpose which obviate the long and tiring manual work required for cutting and uprooting the plants.
These vehicles substantially comprise a mobile chassis, usually with a track drive, in which a seat is provided for the operator and for means for controlling and actuating the steering and the cutting operations.
Moreover, these vehicles are provided with a cutting apparatus which is connected by means of a power take-off coupled to driving means for a rotating and vibrating blade which is usually crescent-shaped and is suitable to cut and remove trees.
The blade penetrates the ground and removes, after rotating through approximately 180 sexagesimal degrees about an axis that passes through its mutually opposite ends, a substantially hemispherical sod which contains the root system of the plant.
Although these machines perform their intended tasks, they have been found to be effective only in case of soft soil and with root systems that are not excessively developed.
When the weather conditions harden the soil and with particular plants, these machines are in fact unable to cut the sod.
Additionally, since the sods to be removed have different dimensions according to the age and type of plant, it is often necessary to replace the blades in order to optimize the operations for excavating and removing the plants.